Lone assassin murders envoy

Press, 20 January 1982, Page 8

Lone assassin murders envoy

NZPA-Reuter Paris The United States Embassy in Paris has said its diplomats will get more protection after an American military attache was shot dead in a Paris street yesterday.

A little known group calling itself the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions claimed responsibility for the killing and threatened further anti-American action.

A lone gunman shot Lieu-tenant-Colonel Charles Ray aged 43. in the forehead as

he left his home, and strolled away after checking that his victim was dead, the sole witness said. A spent 7.65 mm cartridge and a rubber surgical glove were found nearby. The new United States Ambassador in Paris (Mr Evan Griffith Galbraith) told reporters after the attack: "We are certainly going to do all we can to prevent any further attempts." He added: "Of course we will strengthen security measures . . . There will be changes." Colonel Ray was not very

active in public and it had not been thought that he ran such risks, the ambassador said. Informed sources said Colonel Ray usually wore civilian clothes to work, drove himself to the embassy. and did not have a bodyguard The police saw striking similarities between the killing and an unsuccessful attempt to kill the acting United States Ambassador Christian Chapman, in Paris two months ago.